Just Between Friends Consignment Sale

Yesterday morning I did a little shopping at the Just Between Friends Overland Park consignment sale. What is the Just Between Friends consignment sale, you ask? Well let me tell you all about it! 

Just Between Friends, or JBF, is a large local consignment sale where area parents can consign clothes, shoes, games, puzzles, strollers, carseats, and more in order to easily purge their home of the items they no longer need. And in my case, I'm not a consignor but should be, make room for more things to come back into the house! And when I say area parents consign their items, I'm not kidding! Take a look for yourself.

Can you believe this? And it's so incredibly organized. The sale is broken down by sections, which are very clearly marked, by boys/girls, clothes, electronics, books, sporting equipment, etc.... And you can truly find everything you were ever looking for or something you didn't even know you needed! That latter part always seems to be the case for me!

So what all can be found? I decided to break it down a little, focusing on things that are trendy, must-haves, possibly holiday gifts, and just plain cute! Let's start with just plain cute.

Do you see these darling lady bug shoes? So cute! They are NEW with tags from Gymboree! Let me say that again, they are NEW with tags! Had been $24.95. At the sale, $9! These fall into the plain cute, must-have, and didn't know you needed them categories! I need them! Wish I was an 18-24 month foot!

We went to Disney World over the summer and my son decided to buy out all five parks! Seriously, though, he did. We came home with Buzz Lightyear, a Bucket of Army Men, Rex (which my husband physically carried onto the plane), Bullseye the horse, and that's just from Toy Story. I wish I was kidding. Well guess what, you don't have to go to Disney World, buy out the parks, and then carry the toys onto the plane coming home. You can shop JBF!!! Check this out! It's Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the Bucket of Army Men all under one roof! They look so happy and really want to go home with you! They need a new kid. File this under the category of trending now and need it for the holidays.

While we're on the topic of toys, I loved Barbie growing up. Still do! She was my go-to toy to play with when I was little. And if I could, I would still play Barbies today! Look at this! It's a super cute camper, Barbie clothing case, and yacht! A yacht! My Barbies didn't have a yacht! 

And a Dream House! They had a Dream House. A Mid Century Modern Dream House!!! Please, someone come and get these pieces for your daughter, niece, next door neighbor, or local blogger who wants to play! It's so cute. There's that cute category again. And always on trend. 

Do you have a kiddo that's just getting into sports, or outgrown their current equipment? There is a full bucket of all things baseball and softball related! And it all looks brand new!

Got a skater, or a want to be skater, but you don't want to pay a lot for something they may or may not enjoy? Pick one up at the JBF sale. You will be the hero and they will look super cool while at the skate park! 

Have a tiny dancer who's feet are constantly growing, needs a new leotard all the time, or just wants to play dress up at home? Well here you go! I definitely file these items under the must-have category!

Looking to travel, send your kiddo off to Mommy and Me with a little backpack, or need a lunchbox STAT? Look no further. There is something for everyone here! Definitely a must-have, with trendy graphics, and super cute for littles!

Um, let's chalk this guy up to things you didn't even know you needed!

Halloween is right around the corner. Do you have your costumes yet? Don't want to have to pay a fortune for one? Have one, but the kiddo changed his/her mind? Check out the racks and racks of costumes!! It's a gold mine! Definitely a must-have here!

Need a must-have winter coat?

Have a reader at home? Look at ALL of these books! So many series bundled together. So many retro reads like Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. If I didn't still have mine at home, I would have taken these gems home. Must-haves, super cute reads, and things you need!

As I was leaving, I found this large pile of clothing on the floor and peaked around the corner to see a mom shopping away! I asked her if these were all hers, and with a laugh, she replied yes. A mom of multiples stocking up! I loved this so much!! This is what I call shopping on a budget while getting all the categories of cute, must-haves knocked out in on trip! She even brought her own cart! Good use of that wagon, mama!

I made my way to the checkout counter with these gems! I love a good Melissa and Doug find and I can't wait to give McKinley these vintage Tinker Toys! I loved mine, and with the way he's constantly constructing something at home, these will be perfect! My category of holiday shopping for cute things is complete!

The JBF sale starts today and runs through Sunday at the Overland Park Convention Center. Head here to get your free ticket! And bring your stamina! You'll need it!

XO,

Andrea

This is a sponsored post, but all view expressed are my own.

A Day in Smithville, MO

How many times have you thought to yourself, it would be so nice to have a day with your spouse to just hang out together without the kiddo(s). If you're anything like me, this doesn't happen very often, aside from a casual date night here and there, so we took full advantage of our day date last Friday! We headed out to Smithville, MO, just a short 45 minute drive, and took in this small, quaint town. On the drive there, we opened up the sunroof, played tunes we love, and chatted about nothing in particular. That alone was a nice little treat. But the day got better from there!

We had lunch plans at noon, but got there a little earlier than we planned, so we took a little drive around town to get familiar with the area. Smithville Lake is just a short 20 minute drive away, and had we had more time, we would have headed that way. Next time for sure! Instead, we headed downtown, drove through the quiet neighborhoods that lined the outskirts of town, and took in the farm land that surrounded us. The views were lovely. 

We lunched at KoZak’s Lakeview Grill, a local establishment that was bustling at noon! It's industrial interior is mixed with rustic art work that gives it a modern farmhouse feel. Their specials are written on chalkboards that line galvanized walls. And they have a deep purple wall that caught my eye immediately! 

Our meal was all of the chef's signature dishes and not one of them disappointed! We started with pulled pork nachos that were meant for a table of six, but we plowed through, and devoured them. A spicy dish, they're served with a wasabi cream and sriracha, came with chunks of pulled pork and a cooling coleslaw. They were amazing! Next up were their fried green tomatoes topped with rock shrimp and a Tabasco pimento sauce. I thought Joel was going to eat the entire dish! The tomatoes were tender and the entire appetizer was divine! I know you're thinking, and that's a wrap on lunch, but you would be wrong! Up next was their Cajun Pasta. Oh man! So good! Full of shrimp, chicken, and sausage, this pasta was the best pasta dish I've eaten in awhile! The sausage was my favorite protein within the dish, but let's be honest, it's pasta! It's all my favorite dish. I seriously had to stop myself. I need to try and recreate it at home or just head back for dinner! Lastly, it was dessert. Not something we had to have, but who I am kidding, I never turn down dessert. Especially when it arrives at the table in the form of three layers of chocolate! This slice of heaven had a brownie crust, chocolate mousse cake middle, and a chocolate mousse top. And homemade whipped cream on the side. We didn't leave a crumb behind! And as a result, we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant ready for a nap or a long walk! The walk was what we took! 

Turning onto Main Street, I felt like we had walked into a Hallmark movie! You know that scene. Downtown USA lined with brick buildings and there respective store signs outside their front doors. Flags and banners that hang from street lights and hanging baskets full of blooms. We parked at the edge of town and walked. 

On our drive through town before lunch, we passed Heritage Park, a little red caboose, and fun filled playgrounds. We decided to walk off lunch and wander down to the park area. We stopped at the caboose first, a replica of the "Ole Number Three" that last ran through Smithville in 1939. My son McKinley will now want to regularly visit Smithville just to stand here and look at this sweet little caboose! It stands proudly on the lawn of Heritage Park.

 The park is surrounded by several large ballparks and two awesome playgrounds. And a giant blue slide built into the ground that literally slides down the hill! We didn't make it all the way there, but man, it was tempting to say the least!! All the mud from the earlier morning rain kept us from hiking through the grass....lame, I know! A covered picnic area for summer shade and family or friends gathering is located right in the middle of everything so nothing is truly out of sight. It was one of the most peaceful afternoons. 

 We made our way back to town, passing a sign for the Smithville Historic Museum and Inn and took a minute to sit on a bench and grab some shade in Courtyard Park. And had a birds eye view of the brick lined downtown buildings.

Our first stop was into Nellie's Sweet Shoppe. Who doesn't love a sweet shop! And the most glorious aroma met us as we opened the door. Fudge, ice cream, chocolates, and more lined the shelves and cabinets. We had the nicest visit with co-owner Ronna about how Nellie's started and you can read their sweet story here. I can tell you it brought tears. Just read for yourself. 

Their fudge is homemade, and even though we gorged on lunch, we found room for some samples. And, we may have shared a scoop of cookie dough ice cream. I swear all we did was eat! We made our way back later in the day for a box of samples and you can have some too. Want fudge a of the month? Sign up for their Fudge a Month Subscription Box! Get all the details here.

As you leave, you are met with these wise words. "Take time to enjoy each day" was the motto of Ronna's late sister Nellie. A phrase I think we all should take to heart!

Here are some additional photos of downtown Smithville.

My favorite doorway!

I picked up this darling Halloween plate at Thorny Creek Market. I also picked up an antique flour and sugar container set from Poshabilities, an antique shop in town, that match a cake plate cover I got from an estate sale a couple of years ago!

I adore the blue entry to Not Too Shappy, a darling boutique on the edge of town.

Joel enjoying a little rest under the gazebo while I snapped a few more photos.

There was a flood that swept through town in 1965 and this is the water line. It wiped out several businesses on the other side of the street, where Courtyard Park now stands. I was shocked at how high it truly reached!

 After a lovely stroll around downtown, it was time to head to Ladoga Ridge Winery. I know, twist my arm! Lodaga Ridge is a local winery that's been in business for eight years. The owners lived on the land, prior to opening the winery, and planted the vineyard themselves. 

This place is a happening hot spot in town, serving locals on the weekend, and providing weekend events throughout the year. On this particular Friday evening, they had live music from local singer/song writers around their enormous patio that overlooks the vineyard. They also had local restaurant, Chop's BBQ and their food truck on hand for all those attending. (Let's be honest, the food looked amazing, but there was no way we could eat another bite!) Instead of eating, we drank! We each had a wine tasting, compliments of the vineyard, that offered five different wines. We each sampled a white, red, rose, fruit, and slushy. We tried each others samples and discussed what we liked most. And, we were gifted a bottle of our favorite, the Sully's White Demi-Dry that's named after the owners father, Sullinger. 

After the tasting, we wandered outside for the songwriter showcase and found a table right up front. As we sipped our wine slushies, perfect for the warm evening, we sat and listened to some very talented artists, Bryton Stoll and Taylor Lynn Cullen, perform covers and several songs that they had written. And all their songs and EPs can be purchased online! 

I have to thank Smithville for providing the most funfilled afternoon and evening! Joel and I haven't had a "vacation" like this in a long time! It was nice to feel like we had gotten away for a bit, even if it was only 45 minutes away from home! If you haven't been to Smithville, you need to go! It's such a lovely getaway when you need a minute to recharge and spend time with someone you don't get to hang with often! Looking forward to the next time!

XO,

Andrea

This was a sponsored post, but all opinions expressed were my own.